U.S. patent application number 17/078962 was filed with the patent office on 2021-04-29 for nested tableware set.
The applicant listed for this patent is Lenox Corporation. Invention is credited to Timothy Carder.
Application Number | 20210120986 17/078962 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005178826 |
Filed Date | 2021-04-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210120986 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Carder; Timothy |
April 29, 2021 |
NESTED TABLEWARE SET
Abstract
A nested tableware set includes: a) first and second bowls
having a base and container portion that terminates at an open rim,
and b) a plate interposed between the first and second bowls. Each
plate has: 1) a base terminating at a side wall that extends
upwardly and terminates at a side wall rim, 2) a base wall
extending vertically downwardly from the base, 3) a first annular
surface extending horizontally away from an upper end of the base
wall, and 4) a second annular surface extending horizontally away
from and vertically above the first annular surface. The first
annular surface and the base wall together define a first shelf for
seating the first bowl, and the second annular surface defines a
second shelf for seating another plate. The base and side wall
together define a third shelf for seating the second bowl.
Inventors: |
Carder; Timothy; (New Hope,
PA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Lenox Corporation |
Bristol |
PA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005178826 |
Appl. No.: |
17/078962 |
Filed: |
October 23, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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62925522 |
Oct 24, 2019 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 21/0233 20130101;
A47G 19/02 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47G 19/02 20060101
A47G019/02; B65D 21/02 20060101 B65D021/02 |
Claims
1. A nested tableware set, comprising: first and second vessels,
each vessel having a base supporting a container portion that
extends away from the base and terminates at an open rim; and at
least one plate configured to be interposed between the first and
second vessels, each of the at least one plates having: a base
outwardly terminating at a side wall, the side wall extending
upwardly from the base and terminating at a rim; a base wall
extending vertically downwardly from a lower surface of the base; a
first annular surface extending horizontally and radially outwardly
away from an upper end of the base wall, the first annular surface
and the base wall together defining a first shelf configured for
seating the rim of the first vessel; and a second annular surface
positioned vertically above the first annular surface and extending
horizontally and radially outwardly away from the first annular
surface, the second annular surface defining a second shelf for
seating the side wall rim of another plate, wherein the base and
side wall together define a third shelf for seating the rim of the
second vessel, and wherein the side wall of the at least one plate
defines a band that extends outwardly from and around the first and
second vessels.
2. The nested tableware set of claim 1, wherein the at least one
plate includes an upper plate and a lower plate.
3. The nested tableware set of claim 2, wherein: the rim of the
first vessel is seated against the first shelf of the lower plate;
the side wall rim portion of the lower plate is seated against the
second shelf of the upper plate; and the rim of the second vessel
is seated against the third shelf of the upper plate.
4. The nested tableware set of claim 2, wherein the at least one
plate further includes at least one intermediate plate positioned
between the upper and lower plates.
5. The nested tableware set of claim 4, wherein the rim of the
first vessel is seated against the first shelf of the lower plate;
the side wall rim of the lower plate is seated against the second
shelf of one of the at least one intermediate plate; the side wall
rim of the at least one intermediate plate is seated against the
second shelf of one of another one of the at least one intermediate
plate or the upper plate; and the rim of the second vessel is
seated against the third shelf of the upper plate.
6. The nested tableware set of claim 1, wherein perimeters defined
by the rims of each of the first and second vessels are
substantially identical.
7. The nested tableware set of claim 6, wherein the first and the
second vessels and plate are positioned substantially along a
common longitudinal axis of the nested tableware set.
8. The nested tableware set of claim 1, wherein the first and
second vessels are bowls.
9. The nested tableware set of claim 1, wherein the tableware
assembly includes at least a third vessel nestedly positioned
within one of the first vessel or the second vessel.
10. A plate for inclusion in a nested tableware set, comprising: a
base outwardly terminating at a side wall, the side wall extending
upwardly from the base and terminating at a rim; a base wall
extending vertically downwardly from a lower surface of the base; a
first annular surface extending horizontally and radially outwardly
away from an upper end of the base wall, the first annular surface
and the base wall together defining a first shelf; and a second
annular surface positioned vertically above the first annular
surface and extending horizontally and radially outwardly away from
the first annular surface, the second annular surface defining a
second shelf.
11. The plate of claim 11, wherein the perimeter of the base and a
perimeter of the side wall are circular.
12. The plate of claim 10, wherein the perimeter of the base and a
perimeter of the side wall are square.
13. The plate of claim 10, wherein the perimeter of the base and a
perimeter of the side wall are oval.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This disclosure relates generally to tableware used for
serving and eating meals, and more particularly, to a tableware set
including plates and bowls that can be assembled in a nested
cluster having decorative features.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Current trends in kitchen and dining area design are
embracing open shelving and other design elements that convey a
sense of airiness, simplicity and reduced clutter..sup.1 As a
result, various kitchen and dining implements that were invisibly
stored away in traditional cabinet and drawer systems are now
finding their way out into the open--for example, including stacks
of tableware such as howls and plates. These tableware stacks may
consume precious space, and are often not aethetically pleasing.
.sup.1 See e.g., M. Valeris, "The Biggest Kitchen Design Trends For
2019," ELLE DECOR, Aug. 26, 2019 (available at
https://www.elledecor.com/design-decorate/trends/g23693937/kitchen-trends-
-2019/, last visited October 21, 2019).
[0003] It would be beneficial to develop a tableware set that can
he efficiently stored, visible in an open environment, in an
aethestically pleasing configuration.
SUMMARY
[0004] By way of example, aspects of the present disclosure are
directed to disclose a novel tableware set, including plates and
bowls and which can be configured in a nested arrangement that is
compact, visually attractive and aesthetically pleasing.
[0005] In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, the
disclosed tableware set includes: a) first and second bowls, each
having a base supporting a container portion that extends away from
the base and terminates at an open rim, and b) at least one plate
configured to be interposed between the first and second vessels.
Each plate has: 1) a base extending and outwardly terminating at a
side wall that extends upwardly from the base and terminates at a
side wall rim, 2) a base wall extending vertically downwardly from
a lower surface of the base, 3) a first annular surface extending
horizontally and radially outwardly away from an upper end of the
base wall, and 4) a second annular surface positioned vertically
above the first annular surface and extending horizontally and
radially outwardly away from the first annular surface. The first
annular surface and the base wall together define a first shelf
configured for seating the rim of the first bowl, and the second
annular surface defines a second shelf for seating the side wall
rim of another plate. The base and side wall together define a
third shelf for seating the rim of the second bowl. The side wall
of the at least one plate defines a band that extends outwardly
from and around the first and second bowls.
[0006] In accordance with an additional aspect of the disclosure,
the tableware set further includes at least two additional bowls
that are positioned in a nested relationship to the first and
second bowls.
[0007] In accordance with further aspects of the disclosure, the
tableware set includes two additional bowls nested with each of the
first and second bowls.
[0008] In accordance with further aspects of the disclosure, the
tableware set includes at least two plates.
[0009] In accordance with other aspects of the disclosure,
perimeters of the rims of each of the bowls and at least one plate
are circular.
[0010] This SUMMARY is provided to briefly identify some aspects of
the present disclosure that are further described below in the
DESCRIPTION. This SUMMARY is not intended to identify key or
essential features of the present disclosure nor is it intended to
limit the scope of any claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0011] A more complete understanding of the present disclosure may
be realized by reference to the accompanying drawinging which:
[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded view of an exemplary nested
tableware set in accordance with aspects of the present
disclosure;
[0013] FIG. 2 illustrates the exemplary nested tableware set of
FIG. 1 with the pieces of the set arranged in a nested state;
[0014] FIG. 3a illustrates an exemplary plate included in the
nested tableware set of FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 3b a provides a cross-sectional view of the exemplary
plate of FIG. 3a;
[0016] FIG. 3c a provides a perspective view of the exemplary plate
of FIG. 3a; and
[0017] FIG. 4 provides a cross-sectional view of the nested
tableware set in the nested state depicted by FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] The following merely illustrates the principles of the
disclosure. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the
art will be able to devise various arrangements which, although not
explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the
disclosure and are included within its spirit and scope.
[0019] Furthermore, all examples and conditional language recited
herein are principally intended expressly to be only for
pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the
principles of the disclosure and the concepts contributed by the
inventor(s) to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being
without limitation to such specifically recited examples and
conditions.
[0020] Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles,
aspects, and embodiments of the disclosure, as well as specific
examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural and
functional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that
such equivalents include both currently known equivalents as well
as equivalents developed in the future, i.e., any elements later
developed that perform the same function, regardless of
structure.
[0021] Unless otherwise explicitly specified herein, the drawings
are not drawn to scale.
[0022] Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to the
elements of a nested tableware set. An exemplary tableware set 100
is depicted an exploded view depicted in FIG. 1. The tableware set
100 as shown includes two bowl sets each including a large bowl
102a, 102b, a medium bowl 104a, 104b and a small bowl 106a, 106b.
When combined into a display configuration, each small bowl is
nested within a medium bowl 104a, 104b, which is in turn nested
within a large bowl 102a, 102b. Each bowl set is positioned in
mirror image opposition to the other, and lower and upper plates
108a, 108b) are stacked and positioned between the two bowl sets,
which then are locatably positioned on an upper surface of the
upper plate 108b and a lower surface of the lower plate 108a,
respectively. While the table set illustrated in FIG. 1 includes
two bowl sets having three bowls each and two plates, one having
skill in the art will readily recognize that each bowl set may be
configured with a greater or lesser number of bowls (including a
set configured with only a single bowl), and that the number of
nested plates may range from one to a greater number.
[0023] FIG. 2 shows the exemplary tableware set 100 of FIG. 1 as
arranged in is display configuration. When bowls 102a, 102b and
plates 108a, 102b are made of an opaque material, bowls 104a, 104b,
106a and 106b are not visible in the display configuration. Plates
108a, 108b and bowls 102a, 102b, 104a, 104b, 106a and 106b may be
formed from one or more of a variety of materials, including for
example, ceramic, plastic, metal and/or organic materials such as
wood. While illustrated as having external surfaces that are
circular with reference to a longitudinal axis 101 of the tableware
set 100, one having skill in the art will readily recognize that
the external surfaces of Plates 108a, 108b and bowls 102a, 102b,
104a, 104b, 106a and 106b may also be square, rectangular, or
polygonal, or alternatively assume any other closed-form
periphery.
[0024] FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c together illustrate several novel and
unique features of the exemplary plates 108 of FIGS. 1, 2. These
features enable the bowls 102a, 102b and plates 108a, 102b to be
stably positioned in the display position illustrated by FIG. 2.
Each plate 114 includes a base 114 surrounded by an upper side wall
112 to define a planar well 110 for holding food products. A base
wall 114a extends downwardly from the base 114 to terminate at a
base footing 114b for stably positioning the plate 108 on a flat
surface such as a table. A base wall perimeter 114d and first
annular surface 114c define a first shelf on which a rim 102e of
the bottom large bowl 102a may be locatably positioned in the
display configuration. A second annular surface 114e is positioned
radially outwardly and vertically above the first annular surface
114c to provide a second shelf on which a upper side wall rim 112a
of another plate 108 may be locatably positioned in the display
configuration as an alternative to positioning the rim 102c of the
bottom bowl 102a on the first shelf.
[0025] As illustrated in the cross-sectional view of the plate 108
provided by FIG. 3b, upper side wall 112 and planar well 110 in
proximity to a planar well perimeter 110a form a third shelf for
receiving a rim 102f to locatably position the top large bowl 102b
in the display configuration. As illustrated, first, second and
third shelves defined by the plate 108 are respectively configured
to locate the bottom large bowl 102a, the additional plate 108 and
the top bowl 102b.
[0026] In the present example having bowls and plates with circular
perimeters as illustrated by FIGS. 1-4, the first, second and third
shelves of the each plate 108 are configured to respectively locate
the bottom large bow, 102a, the additional plate 108 and the top
bowl 102b so that each of these elements is concentrically aligned
with the nested tableware set centerline 101 in the display
configuration for the nested tableware set 100. As a result, and as
can be seen for the example of FIG. 2, the example display
configuration of the nested tableware set 100 exhibits external
surface features that are smoothly integrated to define an
elongated sphere with a ringlike band defined by the upper side
walls 112 of upper and lower plates 108a, 108b that surrounds an
equatorial circumference of the sphere. The sphere is capped at its
poles by base walls 102c, 102d of bottom large bowl 102a and top
large bowl 102b. The assemblage in the display configuration
illustrated by FIG. 2 can, for example, be said to be somewhat
evocative of a FABERGE egg.
[0027] FIG. 4 provides a cross-sectional view of the nested
tableware set of FIG. 2. This cross-sectional view illustrates the
nested placement of medium bowls 104a, 104b and small bowls 106a,
106b within large bowls 102a, 102b, resepctively, in the display
configuration. Respective base walls 104c, 104d of the medium bowls
104a, 104b separably position the medium bowls 104a, 104b within
large bowls 104a, 104b, respectively. Similarly, respective base
walls 106c, 106d of the small bowls 106a, 106b separably position
the small bowls 106a, 106b within the medium bowls 104a, 104b,
respectively. The medium bowls 104a, 104b and small bowls 106a,
106b are configured so that, when nested, rims of the respective
medium bowls 104a, 104b and small bowls 106a, 106b do not extend
outwardly of rims 102e, 102f of the large bowls 102a, 102b.
Preferably, the rims of the respective medium bowls 104a, 104b and
small bowls 106a lie inwardly from the rims 102e, 102f of large
bowls 102a, 102b.
[0028] The cross-sectional view of FIG. 4 also illustrates the
locatable positioining of large bowls 102a, 102b with respect to
the plates 108a, 108b. In particular, it can be seen that the rim
102e of bottom bowl 102a is positioned on the first shelf defined
by base wall perimeter 114d and first annular surface 114c. Upper
side wall rim 112a of lower plate 108a is positioned on the second
shelf second annular surface 114e of upper plate 108b. And the rim
102f of the top bowl 102b is positioned on the third shelf defined
by upper side wall 112 and planar well 110 in proximity to planar
well perimeter 110a.
[0029] It will be understood that, while various aspects of the
present disclosure have been illustrated and described by way of
example, the invention claimed herein is not limited thereto, but
may be otherwise variously embodied within the scope of the
following claims. For example, it should be understood that while
the example of FIGS. 1-4 illustrate a nested tableware set having
two plates and two sets of three nested bowls, configurations with
difference numbers of bowls and/or plates are fully contemplated by
this disclosure. In addition, while the bowls and plates as
illustrated each define a circular circumference or perimeter, bowl
and plate perimeters defining other geometric and non-geometric
shapes are fully contemplated by this disclosure.
[0030] The following table lists the reference characters and names
of features and elements used herein: Reference characters assigned
to method steps are not listed.
TABLE-US-00001 Ref. char. Feature or element 100 Nested Tableware
Set 101 Nested Tableware Set Centerline 102a Large Bowl (Bottom)
102b Large Bowl (Top) 102c Large Bowl Base Wall (Bottom) 102d Large
Bowl Base Wall (Top) 102e Large Bowl Rim (Bottom) 102f Large Bowl
Rim (Top) 104a Medium Bowl (Bottom) 104b Medium Bowl (Top) 104c
Medium Bowl Base Wall (Bottom) 104d Medium Bowl Base Wall (Top)
106a Small Bowl (Bottom) 106b Small Bowl (Top) 106c Small Bowl Base
Wall (Bottom) 106d Small Bowl Base Wall (Top) 108a Lower Plate 108b
Upper Plate 110 Plate - Planar Well 110a Plate - Planar Well
Perimeter 112 Plate - Upper Side Wall 112a Plate - Upper Side Wall
Rim 114 Plate - Base 114a Plate - Base Wall 114b Plate - Base Wall
Footing 114c Plate - Base First Annular Surface 114d Plate - Base
Wall Perimeter 114e Plate - Base Second Annular Surface
* * * * *
References